ɴᴏᴡ ᴏʀ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ⇢ ᴊᴇʀᴏᴍᴇ ᴄʟᴀʀᴋᴇ

four

BY THE TIME THE end of the school day came around, Marissa's head was filled to the brim with things she had to do.

She got to the house and made a beeline to the couch, getting ready to plop down and avoid any human contact. Of course, her hopes didn't go quite as planned.

Unfortunately, as well as being known around the house as Jerome's argue partner, she's also known as the 'advice giver'. A title she is proud of, albeit it resulting in her not getting any of her work done. Ironically enough, the only time anyone is in dire need of her wisdom, is the only time Marissa has the intention of doing her own things.

"Marissa, can I have your help with something?" Amber asks, skipping her way towards her friend, not realizing that all the girl wanted to do was sleep.

"Sure," Marissa sighed, getting up. "What's wrong?"

"Well, there's this person, right. And it's so obvious that he really likes one of my best friends," Marissa sighed, "and she- I mean they, are so oblivious to this guy liking her- them dang it. Anyways, what should I do, I really want to help."

Rolling her eyes, Marissa sits up straight, bracing herself because she might as well give the advice anyways, right? "Well," she starts, clearing her throat, "I think you should try to talk to your friend, and tell them all the good things about the boy. Maybe you can tell the boy all the good things about your friend?" She tried, not really knowing how to help out in a situation when it could potentially involve her too.

Amber seemed to like the information, though. She smiles widely and gives Marissa a big hug, yelling 'thank you' before running off.

Marissa shakes her head, a smile fighting its way on her face and goes to lay down when a voice stops her again.

"Well, well," Jerome says, walking into the room with his arms crossed over his chest, a smirk plastered on his face. Marissa groans. "What was that about?"

"Nothing that concerns you, Clarke," She says simply, getting off the couch altogether, wanting to make her way to her room, realizing the living room wasn't a good idea.

"Well if you think about it, it does," Jerome replies, wanting a reaction out of the girl so his plan (that wasn't really his plan) can start to take its effect.

"What?" Marissa asks, not in the right state of mind to keep up with his none sense

"Well, I do live in this house too, and as your friend–"

"– we are not friends."

"– I would like to help my friend," he emphasized, "realize that the boy she very much likes is not as perfect as she seems to think he is."

Marissa rolls her eyes for the umpteenth time, "You are not making any sense at all. Now, please move out of my way before I make you move," she says sweetly, looking up to smile in his face (he's really tall).

Jerome puts his arms up in surrender, "Whatever you say, Bradley. Don't come crying to me, though, when Samuels breaks your heart because someone - aka you - didn't want to listen to me."

Marissa stopped. "Why are you doing this? Don't you realize I just want to go upstairs," she complains, stomping her feet on the ground like a child.

"As Amber said, I really want to help," Jerome smirked, thinking he was coming off as innocent.

The girl scoffed, "Yeah right, you're probably just doing this for a clear chance to confuse me and mess with Brandon and I. Leave it and me, alone," she glared, storming off to her bedroom.

Jerome rolled his eyes, but he couldn't deny the feeling of disappointment deep down in his stomach. 

Guess this would be a whole lot more difficult than he originally anticipated.

-

"What a deceiving, two-headed, over-hair gel wearing moose," Marissa screeches, throwing the door open, letting it bang on the wall.

"Jerome?" Patricia and Joy ask simply, not looking up from what they were doing.

"Uh, duh," Marissa says, sitting down on her bed, seething.

"What happened?" Patricia asks, sounding bored, but listening anyway.

"He heard me giving Amber advice on, essentially, how to get me and Brandon together and he walked in after Amber left and was all like, 'he's no good for you blah blah blah'," Marissa finished, saying the last part in a deeper voice to mock the boy.

"And you don't believe him?" Joy asks, sitting up on her bed, wondering if now was the time to spill the beans on what Jerome wanted to her to keep a secret.

"Of course not!" Marissa says confidently.

Patricia clears her throat, "I got to admit, I don't think I really believe him, either."

Joy throws a pillow at her, "What?"

"Well, it's just so obvious that Marissa doesn't like Jerome, so maybe we should just back off." Patricia tried. Marissa smiled, thankful that this whole thing was going to be put to an end.

"Are you crazy?" Joy snapped, and even Marissa flinched. "She can't end up with that narcissistic, no-good cheating pig like Brandon Samuels," she argued.

"You do realize 'she' is in the room right."

"I understand that Joy," Patricia says, ignoring Marissa, "but I never said I wanted her to be with Brandon. I agree on everything that you said he was, and I don't doubt it for a second. I just don't think her and Jerome are going to happen anytime soon."

"What's wrong with Brandon?" Marissa demands, but her two friends ignore her, whispering to themselves. Marissa rolls her eyes puts her earbuds in, wanting to fall asleep so this awful week can just end.

Patrica and Joy perk up when they realize their friend fell asleep.

"Do you think it worked?" Patricia asked, rubbing her hands together nervously, unsure if her acting was good enough to get the message across.

Joy nodded excitedly, "Step one complete." She says, clapping her hands lightly so Marissa doesn't wake up.

"Did you really have to throw a pillow in my face? That wasn't a part of the plan." Joy sent her a sheepish smile and shrugged. "It's all on Jerome, then, I guess," Patricia says, eager for the whole thing to be over so her best friend can finally be happy.

Lord knows she needs it.

(note!)
kinda don't like this chapter but oh well